This application claims the priority of 198 16 801.2-21, filed Apr. 16, 1998, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to a locking arrangement for a vehicle, having a first locking element, which is non-rotatably connected with a vehicle wheel, and a triggerable second locking element which can be brought into a releasable engagement with the first locking element.
Locking arrangements for vehicles are used for securing the vehicle in its parking position against an unintended rolling away. For example, WO 93/09981 describes an auxiliary emergency braking system for automobiles, in which a ratchet element is provided coaxially with respect to the drive shaft. A solenoid releasably engages a locking pawl in this ratchet element. Coaxially to the wheel axle, such an arrangement requires a relatively large amount of space which in many cases is not available, particularly with technically high-expenditure wheel suspensions.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,966,244 discloses a locking arrangement for automobiles, in which a disk is arranged on the drive shaft and has incisions in which a pawl element can be mechanically engaged.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,869 shows a parking position for an automatic transmission in which a pawl element also engages in a wheel provided with recesses. Such parking arrangements secure a vehicle against an unintended rolling away only if a connection exists between the drive shaft and the wheels, which occurs, for example, in the parking position in the case of automatic transmissions. Furthermore, such a locking arrangement can affect only the driven wheels. In contrast, a locking of the non-powered wheels is not possible.
DE 89 03 391 U1 describes a locking arrangement for a vehicle in which a ratchet wheel is non-rotatably connected with a vehicle wheel. A locking pawl is provided for a releasable engagement in the ratchet wheel. The locking pawl is operated by a solenoid connected with the locking pawl. When the locking pawl is engaged, the vehicle wheel can be rotated only counterclockwise, but when the locking pawl is disengaged, the vehicle wheel is freely rotatable. Thus, a securing against a rolling away, for example, on a hill, is achieved only in one direction, for example, in the case of an uphill parking position, but not in the case of a downhill parking position of the vehicle.